The 24-year-old Frenchwoman won a superb silver medal in the F20 shot put event on Sunday at the Stade de France.
At the Stade de France
Gloria Agblemagnon in Olympic time. After shining at the Global Games, a sort of Olympic Games for athletes with mental or psychological disabilities, by winning the title in 2019, the 24-year-old Frenchwoman was keen to put her name on the Paralympic Games medal table. Something she failed to do in Tokyo three years ago, finishing in 8th place.
It was only a postponement. Since then, the shot putter has continued her progress, to the point of finishing 4th at the World Para Athletics Championships last year at the Stade Charléty in Paris. From then on, these Paris 2024 Games were clearly in her sights and there was no question of missing this event for the daughter of Guy Agblemagnon, a former international football player for Togo.
The Stade de France crowd only had eyes for her
With a second throw of 13.80 m, Gloria Agblemagnon comfortably settled into third place on the podium. But the Frenchwoman wanted more. Of course, the title was not an option against the British Sabrina Fortune who, on her first throw, broke the world record at 15.12 m. But there was room to compete for silver. On condition that she improved her personal record even further and broke the 14-metre barrier. On her 4th attempt, encouraged by the Stade de France crowd who only had eyes for her, the Frenchwoman managed the feat of sending her shot to 14.43 m. A great feat, which allowed her to pass in front of the Ecuadorian Poleth Mandes Sanchez (14.31 m).
Behind, she, on her last two attempts, could not do better. And it was with a huge smile that Agblemagnon welcomed this second place, bringing a 24th medal to France, a second in hexagonal para-athletics which already does better than its Olympic counterpart. “I’m super happy”she said after a long lap of honor that she took the time to savor. “In training I was breaking my records and it’s great to do it here too. I’m going to remember this moment until the end of my life. I can’t be happier.” And also a first for French adapted sport, which is fighting for greater recognition on the Paralympic level.
